time warp

My dear roommate Marie (also a redhead... or my deux doux rousse) brought these La Mer watches to my attention. She never got a menswear inspired watch and is contemplating making one of these her staple timepiece. I'll never abandon my trusty Michael Kors Gold Bracelet Watch, but I may add this to my wrist repertoire.

I was going to write about the Odyssey Wraps that my roomie is lusting over, but after going to the website, I discovered all the cool, different wrap watches La Mer has. My favorites are the Chain/Charm Wraps. The brown leather with the gold and copper chains looks so classic but casual and different.

The Simple Wraps are anything but. They come in colored snakeskin, glitter, neon and patent leather. The electric yellow and pink leather looks so fresh and modern.

I have a penchant for studded and biker-inspired jewelry, so obviously, I'm obsessed with the Layer and Stud Wraps.

The company also has traditional pieces, but I'm loving their take on watches as interesting jewelry. There's an option to customize a watch, but I love the ones they've already made. The only thing keeping me from putting one of these super stylish watches on my wrist is deciding which one I want.

girl crush: pattie boyd

 

 

I've been infatuated with rock and roll muse Pattie Boyd recently. I read her book, Wonderful Tonight over the summer and watched Martin Scorsese's documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World this weekend. She's known for inspiring the best rock love songs ever during her love affairs with George Harrison and Eric Clapton (helloooo "Something," "Wonderful Tonight," "Layla," etc., etc., etc.) and how could she not inspire with her impeccable style.

I'm completely taken with her Harrison-era style from the 60s to mid-70s. She was definitely trendy and some of her looks went totally over the top. In her younger years she was the epitome of British mod. When she and George experimented with drugs and Indian culture, her psychedelic look reflected that. Later on, she was a full-on hippie.

However, there were some basic guidelines she stuck to throughout the years.

First of all, she rocked dresses like nobody else. Whether they were color blocked, velvet or covered in funky prints, she was loyal to her mini dresses. She often paired them with fun leg and footwear, like tights, knee-high socks and strappy shoes.

While she kept her accessories to a minimum, she never shied away from a great headpiece. She topped off her signature bangs with a myriad of hats, headbands and bows. She could wear the most exaggerated toppers without looking cartoonish.

Finally, she understood the importance of nice outerwear. Her coats were never an afterthought. They always had great shapes and colors. I mean, how amazing is that fur coat that she wore at her wedding? It's by far the best part of the ensemble.

girl problems

 

 

My aesthetic is definitely girly. When it comes to fashion, I consider myself fairly skilled at juxtaposing very feminine elements with more casual or edgy pieces. I'm still figuring out how to translate that skill to decor.

I mean, the first pieces of art I bought for my apartment were pink and said "Love" and "Life is Beautiful." There is literally a glass bowl of pink and white lollipops in the living room. A few weeks ago I was looking to balance the girliness out without seeming ironic or obvious.

I found my answer in JustinMages' online store. I love silkscreen prints, so his Etsy shop was perfect for me. His tongue-in-cheek pieces are sort of whimsical with a pop-art twist.

The White Girl Problems 11x17 print is perfect for my bedroom. It fits the pink, white and gold color scheme but the funky design and slightly irreverent message keeps it from being too saccharine. Because the imagery is of a pin-up girl getting ready, I'm putting it between my dresser and my vanity. It's such a fun piece of art to inspire me while getting myself ready.

cool kids

There are a lot of downsides to being freakishly small (I'm 5'1) and young looking. Bartenders regularly act like I'm pulling a fast one on them with a super awesome fake I.D., guests at work think I'm an intern, people frequently assume my boyfriend is my dad, brother or uncle (he's 6'5)... normal. If you saw me walking down the street, you'd assume I was like, 17. If I just rolled out of bed... probably 14.

All my life I've been told that I'll appreciate this when I'm older. I'm still waiting.

One great benefit though, is being able to buy children's clothes. They're cheaper, and you never have to worry about being caught in the same outfit as someone else. Except maybe your 7-year-old neighbor. A children's size 12 is basically a S or XS in women's. A 14 can sometimes even be too big on me.

The best place for kid's clothing is J. Crew's Crew Cuts.

Not everything works. Pull-over tops don't really fit because of the high necklines and straight shapes. The same goes for dresses.

The mecca of kid's clothes is button-ups which are amazing and often fit me better than women's sizes. You'll also strike gold with a-line skirts, loose-fitting shorts, outerwear and accessories.

I need to get my hands on the Vintage Cord Boy Short and Flight School Vest.

pretty in pink

 

Last year, or whenever the matte red lip trend came around, I was dying to try it. I had my reservations--would a red lip complement a redhead with a ruddy complexion? I threw caution to the wind and puckered up with a red pout.

Boy, was that a mistake. Red lips are not for me.

I admitted defeat and felt like a prisoner to my sheer glosses (okay, that's a little severe, I actually love a super shiny gloss). When Spring came around, and every ad campaign featured an almost bare-faced model with a neon pink lipstick, I couldn't help but feel dejected. The matte red lip had failed me so drastically, surely its warm-weather counterpart would too.

Mid-summer, I recovered from the red lipstick trauma and bought Revlon Moon Drops in Crystal Cut Coral, not wanting to spend too much money in case it didn't work. But... it did!

The pink is flattering on my paler skin, but looks even better with a tan and bronzer. I always focus my makeup around the eyes and love that now I can do the bright-lip-natural-eye look. But, the color is pretty toned down so I can even wear it with my usual liner, mascara and shadow.

Whenever I rock my bright pink lip, I get compliments. My mom says it makes it look like I have makeup on even when I don't. So basically, this is a huge winner in my book.

tired of the same old thing

 

Did anyone catch my "The Nightmare Before Christmas" reference in this post's title?

I'm not one for themes, so Halloween isn't my favorite holiday. I usually put on a cute outfit I would normally think was too flamboyant and call it a costume. I can't remember the last time I didn't end up as a hippie or a celebrity.

I also hate scary things. Like, really, really hate. I'm currently traumatized from seeing a commercial for Paranormal Activity 3. I won't go into details. Just more of a reason for me to not get all uppity about Oct. 31.

Because of my reservations about the holiday, I don't normally decorate or throw myself into things surrounding Halloween. This Martha Stewart project, however, has convinced me to change my ways. I am heading out right now to get supplies and make some of these adorable glitter pumpkins. I'm feeling two oranges, and a pink... and maybe a purple. I'll let you know how it goes and maybe post some pictures.

P.S. This picture was snapped by someone and posted to Apartment Therapy and the comments on the page suggest that it's Sarah Jessica Parker's stoop! Even more incentive to get my craft on. I'm doing it in my parents' garage though. You know what they say about glitter...